mUltimate Chopin

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Issues : Abbreviated octaves' notation

b. 9-11

composition: Op. 28 No. 9, Prelude in E major

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From the last beat of b. 9 to the middle of b. 11, the L.H. octaves are written in A in an abridged manner, with 8. However, Chopin explicitly requested that the abbreviation not be used in print by writing the following note at the bottom of the page in A: "Il faudrait graver en notes les 8ves marquées dans la basse par 8." [One should engrave with notes the 8ves marked in the bass with 8]. Chopin had a hard time choosing the right wording for that note, which can be seen on the basis of the crossings-out and additions, which evidence that it was being gradually specified.

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Abbreviated octaves' notation

b. 10-14

composition: Op. 10 No 2, Etude in A minor

Octave & A in CLI

A twice in Ap

Octaves in FE (→GE,EE) 
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Lack of the lower octave at the beginning of bar 10 in Ap may point to Chopin's hesitation, as the octave is both in CLI and FE (→GE,EE). The situation in bar 14, in which A1 was added by Chopin only in FEcor (→FE→GE,EE), suggests, however, that the bass note in the original Chopin's idea was supposed to be only A, while the lower octaves were added by Chopin only at the stage of reviewing the entire piece. Overseeing one or two places during this kind of serial corrections would often happen to Chopin (cf., e.g., the Etude in G major, No. 5, bar 4 and analog.). In the entire #Pa Chopin would therefore have left this detail in the original version.

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: Authentic corrections of FE , Abbreviated octaves' notation

b. 12-25

composition: Op. 10 No 1, Etude in C major

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In CLI all octaves in bars 12-22 and 25 are written in an abbreviated form with the digit 8 under the upper notes. In FE the notation was used only in bars 19-22, while in GE1 (→GE2→GE3) in bars 21-22.

category imprint: Source & stylistic information

issues: Abbreviated octaves' notation

b. 17-18

composition: Op. 44, Polonaise in F♯ minor

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In FE (→EE) the L.H. part octaves (from the 2nd beat of b. 17 to the end of the 1st beat of b. 18) are written in a simplified way with the use of con 8va. In the process, in FE both ties to F1-F in b. 17 were given, whereas in EE only the top one. According to us, it is the version of FE that corresponds probably to the notation of [A], while in GE the abbreviations were expanded. There is a similar situation in all four analogous places. 

category imprint: Differences between sources

issues: EE revisions , Errors in EE , Abbreviated octaves' notation

b. 23-24

composition: Op. 10 No 1, Etude in C major

E in CLI

Octave in FE (→GE,EE)
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According to us, lack of the bass' octave strengthening in CLI is not the original version, but rather the copyist's error (overseeing two 8s indicating lower octaves). Such abbreviated notation of the octaves in this place is included in FE (→GE). 

category imprint: Differences between sources; Source & stylistic information

issues: Abbreviated octaves' notation , Errors of CLI